SAD-BJP, Cong hand in glove: Kejriwal
Patiala, August 17
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal today alleged that both the SAD-BJP and the Congress were hand in glove and had been befooling the masses for several years. Kejriwal was in the city to campaign for AAP candidate HS
Adaltiwala.

Will contest 2017 state polls, says Capt Amarinder
Patiala, August 17
“Though the party will decide my seat, but I will certainly contest the state assembly polls in 2017 and remain active in state politics,” claimed Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh.

Vote for an accessible candidate: Sukhbir appeals to people
Patiala, August 17
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today appealed the voters of Patiala to vote for a candidate, who had devoted himself to improving the welfare of people.Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal along with
SAD-BJP candidate Bhagwan Dass Juneja in Patiala on Sunday. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar

Mann cashes in on youth unrest
Talwandi Sabo, August 17
Like the Pied Piper, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann, draws hundreds of disillusioned jobless youth to his rallies. They follow him wherever he goes, listening to him in rapt attention as he attacks the “corrupt” system and its bosses.Bhagwant Mann, AAP MP, addressing youth during a campaign in Jaga Ram Teerth village on Sunday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

shoe- hurling incident
Cops trying to target me: Mann
Ludhiana, August 17
Sangrur Member of Parliament Bhagwant Mann today alleged that the Punjab Police had become a mouthpiece of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). He said the police was trying to target him at the behest of ruling
SAD-BJP government by dragging his name into the shoe-hurling incident.Bikram, Dhanaula resident, who hurled a shoe at the Chief Minister at a function in Issru village on Friday. Tribune photo

‘Match-fixing’ saw Congress losing poll: Brar
Chandigarh, August 17
Jagmeet Singh Brar, who has been suspended by the Congress, today said the Punjab Congress needed a new leadership which worked in tandem with party workers to end “match-fixing with the SAD.”

BJP a divided house in Bassi Pathana
Bassi Pathana, August 17
The BJP in the Bassi Pathana Assembly segment seems to be a divided house as a faction has decided to oppose the BJP mandal president’s decision to contest all the 15 seats in the forthcoming Municipal Council (MC) elections here.

CM is vindictive, alleges Khaira
Ludhiana, August 17
Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira today accused Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of being vengeful and using the police for slapping
non-bailable cases against Bikram who had hurled a shoe at him at Issru village near Khanna on August 15.

Abohar, August 17
Students contesting the college-level elections and their supporters are blatantly flouting norms, especially by defacing public property, in Rajasthan’s border district Sriganganagar. The filing of nominations will begin on Monday.

Student leaders are paying no heed to the administration’s directions to shut down election offices. Besides, they have defaced public property in Sriganganagar. Tribune photo

PU colleges to have 5 working days in a week
Chandigarh, August 17
The Panjab University (PU) syndicate today approved a five-day-a-week working schedule for its 188 colleges. The decision will come into effect from the next semester that begins in January 2015.

Censor board’s no to film on ’84 carnage
Jalandhar, August 17
Yet another Punjabi film on the Delhi Sikh massacre in 1984, ‘Dilli 1984’ , has been refused a certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification in India
(CBFC). This is the third film on the issue to have been refused a certificate. Films titled ‘47 to 84’ and ‘Kaum De Heere’ cleared earlier are to be released on August 22.

Sufi singer Barkat Ali Sidhu dies of cancer
Moga, August 17
Renowned Sufi singer Barkat Ali Sidhu lost his long-drawn-out battle to cancer here last night. He was 68 years old. He was known for his ‘Sufiana’ style, which he inherited from his parents and refined with the Patiala Gharana of music.

Police to review security
Chandigarh, August 17
The Punjab Police feels the security ring of about 50-foot radius, commonly known as “D”, in front of the stage at political rallies and state functions was enough to prevent shoe hurlers from hitting their targets.

Water level in Bhakra up
Ropar, August 17
The water level in the Bhakra reservoir was 1,671.2 feet against the maximum capacity of 1,680 feet around 6.30 am today. As the filling period for reservoir is up to September 20, the BBMB authorities have started releasing water in a controlled manner so that there is no danger of floods in the region.

Issru’s niece in US defends protester
Vancouver, August 17
Parminder Kaur Swaich, niece of freedom fighter Karnail Singh Issru, has said that
Bikram, A resident of arrested for a throwing shoe at the Chief Minister, had committed no wrong.

7 dead in 3 road accidents in Amritsar, Tarn Taran
Amritsar, August 17
Seven persons were killed in three road accidents in Tarn Taran and Amritsar areas. Four youths where killed while they were on their way to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Bir Baba Budha Sahib, 20 km from here, late last night.

The bus which met with an accident near Vallah in Amritsar on Sunday, leaving two passengers
dead. Photo: Vishal Kumar

Mystery over poppy husk seizure in Orbit bus
Bathinda, August 17
The mystery over the recovery of four kg of poppy husk from one of the buses operated by Orbit Bus Service continues with the local police trying to hush-up the issue.

12 booked for forcible possession of village land
Faridkot, August 17
Twelve persons have been booked for forcible possession of common land in Jhakharwala village of
Faridkot. The panchayat alleged that some Dalit families in the village had destroyed crop on four acres of the land to take its possession.

Patiala, August 17
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal today alleged that both the SAD-BJP and the Congress were hand in glove and had been befooling the masses for several years. Kejriwal was in the city to campaign for AAP candidate HS
Adaltiwala.

He said the Akalis and the Congress had reduced the once most prosperous state of Punjab to a debt-ridden state. "Both the parties are equally corrupt and therefore fear AAP. They are trying everything possible to defame the party," said
Kejriwal.

Taking a dig at state Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, Kejriwal said even as Majithia's name had surfaced in the multi-crore drug scam, the state government did not take strict action against Majithia, and went out of its way to help Majithia come out clean.

"Anyone who is playing with the lives of our youth should be behind bars irrespective of whether he is an MP or an MLA," he said.

Urging the people to vote for party candidate Adaltiwala, Kejriwal said, "The people of the state have already made up their mind. This was evident from the results of the recent Lok Sabha polls. All those who think that AAP is losing ground should wait and see what happens on August 21," said
Kejriwal.

Meanwhile, he criticised the man who hurled a shoe at Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. He said instead of putting Vikram alias Babbi behind bars, we should try to understand what made him throw the shoe.

Later, hundreds of volunteers and supporters of AAP hit Patiala roads to attend the road show of Arvind
Kejriwal.

Meanwhile, a protest march was held under the leadership of former senior member of AAP's Patiala unit Kundan Gogia against the alleged changing ideologies of AAP and Arvind
Kejriwal.

Gogia alleged that the party had drifted from its agenda of swaraj and had become a party of ‘khaas
aadmi’ now.

He said that the party chief Arvind Kejriwal and other senior leaders had stopped paying heed to the people's point of view.

Gogia said AAP's founder member Shanti Bhushan had said that Arvind Kejriwal lacked organisation skills to expand the party's base in the country. This, he said, pointed towards the seriousness of the issue.

Interacting with mediapersons at the Patiala Media Club, the former CM said, “My decision is final as I want to spend my last tenure in politics in Punjab,” he said.
Amarinder Singh appealed to the people of Patiala to compare his five years’ tenure between 2002 and 2007 with that of Badal’s seven years. “Development came to a screeching halt in Patiala in 2007 when Badals took over and they did it out of sheer vengeance,” said Capt
Amarinder, who was accompanied by BIS Chahal, Vimal Sumbly, Karanpal Sekhon, Sandeep
Sandhu, Jaspal Dhillon and Jagdeep Sidhu.

“Ask Badal, what happened to Rs 260 crore our government had left with the Patiala Development Authority (PDA) set up exclusively for the development of
Patiala,” Capt said. He said the moment the Akalis came to power the money was shifted to
Lambi.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal also addressed a rally here today. He appealed to the voters to vote SAD candidate Bhagwan Dass
Juneja, “who has devoted himself to improving the lot of the people.” Sukhbir asked the voters to compare the SAD candidate and the Congress candidate. “The days of rajas maharajas are over. So one should vote for a candidate who has vision. Elect Juneja who will always be accessible to you,” he said.

Sukhbir pointed out that Captain Amarinder Singh had remained an absentee legislator. He had not raised issues related to the people of Patiala in the Assembly, his wife, Preneet
Kaur, had failed to communicate with the common people.

Patiala, August 17
“Though the party will decide my seat, but I will certainly contest the state assembly polls in 2017 and remain active in state politics,” claimed Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh.

Interacting with mediapersons at Patiala Media Club today, the former CM said, “My decision is final as I want to spend my last tenure in politics in Punjab,” he said.

Reacting to Sukhbir Badal’s statements, who was also in town today, Capt Amarinder Singh appealed to the people of Patiala to compare his five years’ tenure between 2002 and 2007 with that of Badal’s seven years.

“Development came to a screeching halt in Patiala in 2007 when Badals took over and they did it out of sheer vengeance,” said Capt Amarinder, who was accompanied by BIS Chahal, Vimal Sumbly, Karanpal Sekhon, Sandeep Sandhu, Jaspal Dhillon and Jagdeep Sidhu.

“Ask Badal, what happened to Rs 260 crore our government had left with the Patiala Development Authority (PDA) he had set up exclusively for the development of Patiala,” Capt said. He said the moment the Akalis came to power the money was shifted to
Lambi.

Patiala, August 17
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today appealed the voters of Patiala to vote for a candidate, who had devoted himself to improving the welfare of people.

Former CM Captain Amarinder has been critical of Sukhbir Badal and his ministers for ignoring their Patiala candidate and camping in Talwandi Sabo, from where his wife Harsimrat Badal is an MP.

“The days of Rajas Maharajas are over so one should vote for a candidate who has vision. We elect those candidates who can assist us in times of need. Juneja is accessible to you, but do you think you can call Preneet Kaur at odd hours?” said Badal.

Badal said that on the one hand Captain Amarinder Singh has remained an absentee legislator and never raised issues related to the people of Patiala in the assembly, on the other, Preneet Kaur has failed to communicate with the common masses.

Talwandi Sabo, August 17
Like the Pied Piper, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann, draws hundreds of disillusioned jobless youth to his rallies. They follow him wherever he goes, listening to him in rapt attention as he attacks the “corrupt” system and its bosses.

At the MP’s rally at Singo village, young boys arrive on bikes. Their numbers swell as they near Jagah Ram Teerth, creating a jam in Tarkhanwala village. Amarjeet Singh knocks at Mann’s car window. “Where are you going next? My friends from Rama Mandi want to join the rally. Where can they join you?” he asks. Turning to The Tribune, Mann observes: “The government has set up an inquiry under a DIG into the incident wherein a shoe was hurled at the CM. It is not concerned about the police beating up young boys and girls on roads daily. The Congress does not blame the SAD and the SAD does not blame the Congress. Finding none to blame, they have trained guns on me.” At a rally near a mosque at Talwandi Sabo, he stops to address a rally. He asks the voters to vote for the “broom” to cleanse the country of all corruption.

At Bhagi Bandar village, Manpreet Kaur, a teenager, addresses an AAP rally, She says: “I refused to meet Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today despite the village sarpanch asking me to do so. I told the sarpanch that the CM
had not honoured his promise to give couples with a single female child Rs 2,000 per month.”

In response to the allegation that the man who threw a shoe at CM Parkash Singh Badal at Issru conference was in touch with him, Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann asked the police to book him under Section 302 of the IPC and hang him.

Mann posted on his Facebook page and said that Badal wanted to gain the sympathy of the people by accusing him of supporting Vikram.

Harsimrat harps on diversification

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal today said that diversification was the need of the hour. "A lot of foodgrain is being wasted. Diversification coupled with food processing will bear results," she said.

Congress complaint

The Congress, in a complaint to the Election Commission and the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), has alleged gross violation of the poll code by SAD's Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu. It had pointed out that the candidate had pasted posters on several milestones on the Bathinda-Talwandi Sabo road.

Ludhiana, August 17
Sangrur Member of Parliament Bhagwant Mann today alleged that the Punjab Police had become a mouthpiece of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). He said the police was trying to target him at the behest of ruling SAD-BJP government by dragging his name into the shoe-hurling incident.

A man, identified as Bikram, had flung a shoe at Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at a function in Issru village yesterday.

“I have read Bikram’s statement in the media. He did not intend to hit the CM. He only wanted his voice to be heard. The CM should show magnanimity and ask the police to drop the false and frivolous cases against him. Badal Sahab should not forget that he had once offered a government job to Jarnail Singh who had hurled a shoe at then Union Minister P Chidambaram,” said the MP.

He said he was shocked that his name and that of his party had been dragged into the controversy. “If the police establish that I had a role in the incident, they are free to register a criminal case against me. Bikram is not a convener of AAP’s Dhanaula unit committee. After the Lok Sabha elections, all committees were scraped,” Mann said.

He admitted to have spoken to Bikram , a resident of Dhanaula village, Mahinderpal Singh of Dangarh village and Harvinder Singh Hindi of Kothe Gobindpur village over the phone. “They are residents of my constituency. It is my duty to ask enquire about their well-being,” he said.

GS Dhillon, DIG, Ludhiana Range, claimed that the accused had told the police that they had spoken to Mann after hurling a shoe at the Chief Minister.

He said the plan was that Bikram would hurl a shoe at the CM and Mahinderpal would make a video of the incident and upload it on social networking sites.

Asked if the police had recovered any such video tape from the accused, Dhillon said the cellphones of the accused had been confiscated and the matter was being probed.

Chandigarh, August 17
Jagmeet Singh Brar, who has been suspended by the Congress, today said the Punjab Congress needed a new leadership which worked in tandem with party workers to end “match-fixing with the SAD.”

He blamed this “match-fixing” for the party’s poor performance in the Assembly as well as the recent Lok Sabha elections, despite the strong high anti-incumbency sentiment in the state.

He said the top leadership should probe as to why certain senior party leaders, including MLAs, did not campaign in their own Assembly segments during the parliamentary elections and preferred to be at other constituencies such as Amritsar.

“The Congress lost the Assembly elections not because of SAD’s deft election strategy, but because of its own leaders who worked against their party candidates.

“Is this not a part of match-fixing that certain Congress leaders are not going to Talwandi Sabo to campaign for the Congress candidate under one pretext or the other,” he asked. He said that politics in Punjab had become a monopoly of a few influential families.

He said now that the SAD was part of the ruling NDA government at the Centre, “the CM and his daughter-in-law Harsimrat Kaur, a minister in the Modi Cabinet, are mum on issues such as diesel price hike, the Centre’s poor response to the drought-like situation in the state and denial of a special fiscal package to Punjab.

"The Congress lost the Assembly elections not because of SAD's deft election strategy, but because of its own leaders who worked against their party candidates. Is this not a part of match-fixing that certain Congress leaders are not going to Talwandi Sabo to campaign for the Congress candidate under one pretext or the
other?"

Jagmeet Brar, suspended Cong leader

‘Congress existence under threat’

Unnerved by his suspension from the Congress, former Congress Working Committee member Jagmeet Singh Brar said he was determined to fight for reforms within the Congress. “It is in the interest of the country that the Congress continues to exist, but the party is facing serious challenges from within and outside,” he said Brar. He blamed the coterie surrounding the party leadership for sending the wrong signals by suspending senior leaders. “If top leaders are not to be blamed for the party’s humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, who is,” he asked. He said the party top brass should take corrective steps.

Bassi Pathana, August 17
The BJP in the Bassi Pathana Assembly segment seems to be a divided house as a faction has decided to oppose the BJP mandal president’s decision to contest all the 15 seats in the forthcoming Municipal Council (MC) elections here.

Mandal president Rajiv Malhotra, who was “unhappy over the functioning” style of the local SAD leaders, had announced to contest from all the 15 seats in the MC elections during a recent meeting. He had alleged that the local SAD leaders were not taking BJP
men into confidence while taking decisions on various issues.

However, a section of the party opposing the move alleged that those who
had announced to contest the elections were using the party for “personal benefits” and to take revenge from their opponents. They said the mandal president was not inviting party workers who raised questions
over the decision.

When Malhotra had complained against one of the employees of the
Civil Hospital, party senior vice-president Harish Thareja, general secretary Tarun Sethi, executive member Kuldeep Pathak, district president of ‘kisan’ wing Kuldeep Singh and cashier Nand Kumar had termed the same as his personal matter.

Concerned over the issue, local SAD MLA Nirmal Singh had also held a meeting with the mandal president at the house of BJP executive member Surinder Kumar Babba before the parliamentary elections. However, sources said, nothing concrete had come out of the meeting and as a result, realtor and SAD candidate Kulwant Singh had suffered the maximum loss
in the area.

Now, a section of the party has become active and launched a campaign to raise their voice against Malhotra’s decision of contesting from all the 15 MC wards.

Senior BJP leader Arun Pathak, who had played
a crucial role in the earlier MC elections, said the party was likely to face a crushing defeat in the MC elections as a majority of party workers were not happy with the style of working of the mandal president.

Not on the same page

BJP mandal chief Rajiv Malhotra, “unhappy” over the working style of the local SAD leaders, had announced that the party would contest from all the seats in the MC poll.

However, some party men alleged that he was using the party for “personal benefits”. They said the mandal president was not keeping party workers, who objected to the decision, in the loop.

Ludhiana, August 17
Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira today accused Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of being vengeful and using the police for slapping
non-bailable cases against Bikram who had hurled a shoe at him at Issru village near Khanna on August 15.

He accused Badal of double standards. “When Jarnail Singh hurled a shoe at Congress leader P Chidabaram on April 17, 2009, he was honoured by the SGPC. Badal now is being cruel to Bikram for a similar protest.” Khaira said the CM had pressured the Khanna police to slap non-bailable Sections against Bikram to ensure he was jailed.

“The Khanna Sadar police have registered a fresh FIR against Vikram under Section 332, 353, 355, 506 and 186 of the IPC. This is blatant human rights violation as the accused was already in judicial custody when these fresh non-bailable Sections were slapped against him,” Khaira said.

Khaira said the police had violated Supreme Court guidelines as they had had not informed Bikram’s family about his arrest.

Bikram was today brought from jail on production warrant. He was sent to police remand.

Three other accused, Mahinderpal Singh Dangarh, Hardeep Singh Tari and Harvinder Singh Hind, who were arrested under Sections 107/151 of the CrPC, were presented in the Khanna SDM’s court. They were sent to the Central Jail, Ludhiana, till August 25. GS Dhillon, DIG Ludhiana Range, said a fresh case was registered against Bikram who had grappled with a policemen in the police van after his arrest. He said a complaint had been lodged with the Khanna police on the statement of an ASI. The Khanna SSP Khanna had been asked to hold an inquiry.

Chandigarh, August 17
The local Bench of the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) has directed the Centre and the Punjab Government to take action against officers involved in real estate business.

Delivering a judgement in the Sherwood Officers Society case in which the Punjab National Bank is the complainant, the tribunal indicted the officers for obstructing the process initiated by the bank to recover Rs 21.8-crore debt.

Prominent among those pulled up were senior IPS officer Parampal Singh Sidhu (IG, at present), PCS officers Parneet Bhardwaj, JS Grewal, Amarjit Paul and Inder Yash Bhatti. They are the founding members and officer-bearers of The Sherwood Officers Society, Wagha bypass, Amritsar.

After going through the reply filed by the counsel of the society, the tribunal observed: "It clearly shows that state officers are indulging in commercial activities despite being in job. These officers are indulging in developing and selling flats/villas and getting not only returns from these commercial transactions of the society, but also misusing their powers and obstructing repayment of national dues to the tunes of crores of rupees."

The court directed the "Union Home Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Chief Secretary, Punjab, to act against officials indulging in criminal activities.

"A copy of this order be sent to the Home Ministry for appropriate action against officers running parallel business of developers and promoters through this society," the court said.

The earlier orders passed by the DRT in February this year were upheld by the Debt Relief Appellate Tribunal (DRAT), New Delhi. DRAT Chairman Justice Ranjit Singh dismissed the appeal with a cost of Rs 1 lakh and pulled up officers for "misleading the tribunal".

The tribunal also recommended the IG (Boder Range) to transfer Amritsar ACP Parampal Singh, Chheharata SHO SS Randhawa and Kala Ghanupur in charge Dilbagh Singh so that the orders of the court and the District Magistrate could be executed.

In a complaint to the DRT under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002, AK Gupta, AGM, PNB, said when he and some other officers entered the premises of the society around 4. 25 pm, some persons locked the main gate from inside. We had to call the local authorities to get us released. The team was allowed to move out only around 5 pm, he had said.

Sherwood housing society

The Sherwood Officers Society was incorporated under the Societies Registration Act, 1861, in 2005-06 and the total area in its possession was 96,800 sq yrd

The society had taken a loan of ~20 crore out of which a loan of ~18 crore was sanctioned on January 8, 2011, while the remaining was sanctioned on January 31, 2012

They wanted to meet Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, but he was away on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir. So, they submitted a memorandum to the Akal Takht secretariat. An "ardas" was performed for the well-being of Sikh detainees.

Khalsa and his supporters, including kins of Sikh detainees who were released on parole earlier, had initiated the Kaumi Sikh Paidal Yatra (march on foot) from Gurdwara Sri Amb Sahib, Mohali, on August 10. The yatra culminated at Akal Takht Secretariat. The yatra aimed at creating awareness about illegal detention of Sikh political prisoners in Punjab and other parts of the country.

Another aim was to remind Jathedar Gurbachan Singh of his assurance over securing liberation of Sikhs, following which Khalsa had ended his fast at the Golden Temple last year.

In the memorandum, Khalsa has appealed to the Jathedar to either take steps for the permanent release of Sikh detainees, or leave the highest temporal seat.

"I felt deceived by the sloppy attitude of Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh towards his promise of making arrangements for the permanent release of Sikh detainees languishing in various jails even after the expiry of their jail terms. If he expresses his inability to do it, he should give up the highest temporal seat," he said.

"I am a dedicated Sikh and could never go against the edicts of Akal Takht. It was only after an assurance from Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh that I ended my fast. Since nothing has been done in that direction, I seek Akal Takht's permission to allow me continue with my struggle. I have made up my mind to resume my struggle from August 31," he said.

Earlier, the Sikh activists faced stiff resistance from members of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar group and Dam Dami Taksal Amrik Singh Ajnalawale group when they reached the elevated road ramp leading to Golden Temple.

Chandigarh, August 17
A member of the Board of Directors of the Ludhiana Cooperative Milk Plant Union today alleged that the accused involved in the milk scandal at the plant enjoyed patronage of influential persons in the plant management.

Tejinder Singh Jassar, one of the 12 directors of the plant, said the police investigation into the case had not progressed as the accused contractor, said to be close to some Akali leaders, was still at large. An FIR was lodged against him at Samrala around two weeks ago. The accused and his relatives were on the run and there houses locked, said Samrala SHO Mohinder Singh Bhullar.

The accused had allegedly improvised a milk tanker to create a 1,700-litre cavity in it. He used to fill it with water, which was drained out when the tanker was washed after the supply of milk. Jassar has sought a probe by an independent agency into to scam. He alleged the spoils of the crime were shared by higher-ups and that the scandal caused a loss of more than Rs 3 crore to the unit.

Jassar had earlier exposed a scandal involving illegal supply of milk from a Rajasthan firm to the plant.

MLA Balwinder Singh Bains had later alleged in the Assembly that the milk supplied was spurious. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had ordered an inquiry into the case. Officials said contractor Karamjit Singh desperately wanted to continue the contract of ferrying milk for the plant. He lowered the tender price to about Rs 9 per km from the previous Rs 13 per km. This led to suspicion in the first place.

General manager Sanjay Sharma, said he was surprised to see that the contractor had lowered the milk transportation charges despite the diesel prices going up substantially.

He said he got suspicious and when the vehicle was checked, the cavity came to notice.

In black and white

The contractor engaged to ferry milk for the Ludhiana Cooperative Milk Plant Union improvised a milk tanker to create a 1,700-litre cavity in it

He would fill the cavity with water and drain it out when the tanker was washed after the supply of
milk.

Abohar, August 17
Students contesting the college-level elections and their supporters are blatantly flouting norms, especially by defacing public property, in Rajasthan’s border district Sriganganagar. The filing of nominations will begin on Monday.

Supporters of the contesting candidates have been moving around in groups, shouting, driving vehicles at high speed, much to the inconvenience of other commuters. Pamphlets seeking votes for contestants were strewn all over the roads and posters were pasted on public property.

As per the Lyngdoh Committee’s recommendations for student elections, each candidate can only spend Rs 5,000 only on campaigning and only handmade pamphlets are allowed. However, most of the signboards, electricity poles in the city are covered with printed student posters and banners.

The administration had told the contestants to shut down their election offices but in vain. Station house officers on Saturday met the contestants of their respective localities to tell them they could be disqualified if they flouted the rules. However, some of the election offices in shopping centres were open even on Sunday.

A police officer, Vishnu Khatri, said it the Municipal Council’s job to remove posters and initiate legal proceedings against those defacing public property.

Chandigarh, August 17
The Panjab University (PU) syndicate today approved a five-day-a-week working schedule for its 188 colleges. The decision will come into effect from the next semester that begins in January 2015.

At present, the PU departments and research centres across the state have five working days in a week but the colleges are open for six days. The demand, which was pending since December 2011, was today approved by Director Public Instructions (DPI), Colleges, Chandigarh, Sandeep Hans and DPI Colleges, Punjab, GS Ghuman.

During the syndicate meeting, members said already the colleges had a thin attendance, as less as 30 per cent, on Saturdays.

PU syndic Dalip Kumar had first proposed the move, stating that many affiliated colleges had post-graduate programs and there was a need for providing ample time for preparing presentations. “Teachers in colleges will now find more time for research. When the attendance is already thin on Saturdays,
a complete closure will help the colleges save resources too,” Kumar said.

Jalandhar, August 17
Yet another Punjabi film on the Delhi Sikh massacre in 1984, ‘Dilli 1984’ , has been refused a certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification in India
(CBFC). This is the third film on the issue to have been refused a certificate. Films titled ‘47 to 84’ and ‘Kaum De Heere’ cleared earlier are to be released on August 22.

Films on the 1984 riots at the Punjab turmoil made handsome profits in countries such as the UK, Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand, that have a sizeable Sikh
population.

Speaking to The Tribune Ashok Gupta, director of ‘Dilli 1984’, said the film was to be released worldwide on September 12. With the censor board refusing to clear the film, efforts were now afoot to release the film outside India. “I have already announced that 20 per cent of the profit will be spent on the welfare of the 1984 riot victims,”
he said.

Gupta said the film’s narrative was inspired by the life of Jagdish Kaur, a survivor and witness to the riots.

“A film show for the CBFC was screened in Mumbai on Thursday.

“The four-member committee unanimously decided that the film was not fit for public viewing,” he said.

He said he would seek a review of the decision and even approach the court.

Moga, August 17
Renowned Sufi singer Barkat Ali Sidhu lost his long-drawn-out battle to cancer here last night. He was 68 years old. He was known for his ‘Sufiana’ style, which he inherited from his parents and refined with the Patiala Gharana of music.

Last year, he was admitted to the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana in a critical condition. The doctors did not subject him to chemotherapy since he was very weak. So they advised his family members to take him home. He had been staying at home for the past few months.

Barkat Ali Sidhu breathed his last at 9.45 pm, last night. The man who had shown the way to many upcoming singers is no more….

He was born at Kanian village situated on the banks of the Sutlej in 1946. He was the cousin of Puran Shah Koti, another great Sufi Punjabi singer.

His father was a tabla player. As a child, he learnt music from his maternal uncle Niranjan Dass, with whom he spent most of his childhood.

In the 50s and 60s, Barkat’s father and his uncle would earn their livelihood through organising ‘akharas’ in villages. Soon, Barkat also started accompanying them to sing ‘Qawalis’, a form of Sufi devotional music.

“There was no electricity in the villages at the time. Barkat would take a round of the village with earthen lamps, singing Heer-Ranjha, Laila-Majnu, Sassi-Punnu, Shirin-Fariyad and other tales of love,” said Laddi Sidhu, Barkat’s son. He familiarised himself with the poetic verses of timeless poets like Bulleh Shah and Shah Hussain Farid. His soul-stirring voice attracted millions of fans across the globe.

Barkat Sidhu had witnessed the changing faces of music in his lifetime, but he never compromised on his sufiana kalam. He also trained in classical music to attain perfection in sufiana kalam. Barkat Ali Sidhu claimed that he was a descendant of Guru Nanak Dev’s friend and noted musician Bhai Ali Mardana. However, he had not been able to support his claim with evidence. He also used to sing shabad kirtans (hymns) from the verses of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs.

Among some of Barkat’s popular Sufi songs are “Utth Gaye Gwandon Yaar, Har Surat Vich Tu, Deedar Mahi Da, Rom Rom Vich Tu, Naal Sajan De Rahiye, Hor Vi Niwan Ho Fakira, Alla Hoo”. He had also performed “Sajan Bin Rattan Hoyiaan Vadiyaan”, a beautiful poem by Shah Hussain. It will take some time for the world to fill the void left by the demise of this titanic figure in Sufi music.

CM mourns death

Chandigarh: Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has mourned the sad demise of noted Punjabi Sufi singer Barkat Ali Sidhu. Badal said Barkat was a renowned Punjabi Sufi singer, who immensely contributed to the promotion of Sufi singing across the globe.

An icon passes away

He was born at Kanian village situated on the banks of the Sutlej in 1946

Chandigarh, August 17
The Punjab Police feels the security ring of about 50-foot radius, commonly known as “D”, in front of the stage at political rallies and state functions was enough to prevent shoe hurlers from hitting their targets.

Keeping in view the shoe-hurling incident that took place at Isru on Friday, the authorities were, however, planning to undertake a formal revision of security arrangements on such occasions, officials said.

The size of the “D” was, however, enough to prevent any hurled object from hitting the target, senior officials maintained.

There is also a suggestion to put up a net like the one used on cricket grounds for practice, to ward off any such attempts.

The shoe-hurling incident has embarrassed the security officials. In future, more policemen may be deployed among the audience in civil clothes. Two police personnel each will be seated at both ends of every row.

Chandigarh, August 17
Leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar today slammed the state government for not utilising the Central grants meant for tackling the problem of water-logging in the southwest parts of the state.

He said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had sanctioned a Rs 2,246-crore project for tackling the problem of water-logging. The first instalment of Rs 100 crore was released, but the SAD-BJP government could not even initiate the tendering process for the work.

He said the previous Central Government sent a sanction letter on March 19, 2014, after seeking special permission from the Election Commission of India as the model code of conduct had become effective in the state.

Instead of levelling false allegation against the previous Central Government, the state government must tell how many projects and grants the new NDA government had sanctioned for Punjab, he
said. — TNS

Ropar, August 17
The water level in the Bhakra reservoir was 1,671.2 feet against the maximum capacity of 1,680 feet around 6.30 am today. As the filling period for reservoir is up to September 20, the BBMB authorities have started releasing water in a controlled manner so that there is no danger of floods in the region.

Today, the authorities increased the amount of water released to 35,000 cusecs (from 32,000 cusecs), the maximum capacity of the turbines installed there. Though BBMB member (irrigation) SL Aggarwal insisted the release would be restricted to 35,000 cusecs or less, sources said a further spurt in the water level could force the technical committee to moot further opening of the flood gates.

Vancouver, August 17
Parminder Kaur Swaich, niece of freedom fighter Karnail Singh Issru, has said that Bikram, A resident of arrested for a throwing shoe at the Chief Minister, had committed no wrong.

A well-known social activist, she told The Tribune that all Bikram wanted was to lodge a protest against the system. “And if our leaders want respect from the people, they should listen to their grievances rather than pay token tribute to revolutionaries.” Swaich, a Vancouver-based supporter of the Indian Rationalist movement, she had been watching the state-sponsored function at Issru village since childhood.

“But the government has no concrete programme or the political will to follow the principles of our national heroes,’’ she said. Swaich said she shared the concerns raised by him and believes that the “authorities, instead of being brutal, should listen to the voices of dissent”.

Amritsar, August 17
Seven persons were killed in three road accidents in Tarn Taran and Amritsar areas. Four youths where killed while they were on their way to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Bir Baba Budha Sahib, 20 km from here, late last night.

Their motorcycle collided with a car (PB-02 BG- 9373) head on on the outskirts of Jhabal village.

The deceased have been identified as Gursewak Singh (20) of Radhalke village (Patti), Partap Singh (15) of Zira and Gurpreet Singh (17) and Karamjit Singh (19) of village Dula Singh Wala (Ferozepure). Karaj Singh, an eyewitness said, all four died instantly. A case under Sections 304-A, 279 and 427 of the IPC has been registered against the bus car who fled after the
accident.

In another accident. Ajay Pal Singh (22) of Rattoke village was killed when his motorcycle collided with another motorcycle at the local Bath road this morning.

Two persons were killed and 24 persons were injured, two of them seriously, when a bus (PB03-Y-9082) overturned near Vallah village today.

The driver, identified as Jaimal Singh, lost control of the vehicle while he was on the cellphone, said sources.

The bus, that was going from Amritsar to Dera Saidpur, rolled down a railway overbridge, killing Gurjit Singh of Mehsanpur village and Kashmir Singh of Saido Lehal village.

The injured passengers were rushed to the SGPC-run Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences. The condition of two of them is said to be critical.

A case has been registered against the driver who abandoned the vehicle and fled.

Bathinda, August 17
The mystery over the recovery of four kg of poppy husk from one of the buses operated by Orbit Bus Service continues with the local police trying to hush-up the issue.

Sources said that a bag containing the contraband was handed to the bus stand police post personnel by Rajinder Singh, the driver of the bus (PB 03 1133) saying that it belonged to a passenger Bhupinder Singh Bhinda who had been taken into custody by the police when the bus crossed a bridge on the outskirts of the city at 10a.m. today.

Bhinda apparently forgot the bag. I opened the bag to ascertain the identity of its owner from the belongings but saw a packet of the poppy husk and handed it over to the cops when I reached the bus stand, the driver claimed.

On the other hand, the police claimed that Bhinda was a dismissed temporary employee of the Chandigarh Depot of the Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) and had been taken into preventive custody since they had received a complaint from the roadways authorities that the sacked employees were planning to start an agitation and disrupt bus services.

Bus stand police post in-charge Surjit Singh said that during initial interrogation, Bhupinder alleged that he was being framed and that the bag did not belong to him.

Interestingly, Kotwali SHO Mahesh Kumar told TNS they matter was yet unsolved and they were examining all angles. We are getting the recovered ‘product’ examined to ascertain what it is. We are also not ruling out that the ‘product’ could have been planted in the bag to frame Bhinda in a false case.

The truth will come out during investigations, he added. On the other hand, sources said that senior officers were trying to suppress the matter, especially when campaigning for the two Assembly seats of Patiala-Urban and Talwandi Sabo was on.

Faridkot, August 17
Twelve persons have been booked for forcible possession of common land in Jhakharwala village of Faridkot. The panchayat alleged that some Dalit families in the village had destroyed crop on four acres of the land to take its possession.

After the Lok Sabha elections, 21 Dalit labourers allegedly took control of the land. While the village panchayat claimed that the land had been given on lease to a farmer, the labourers claimed they had taken the possession of the land as they were promised to be allotted five-marla residential plots during the Lok Sabha elections.

In the first week of July, the panchayat passed a resolution, urging the district administration to remove the encroachment and take action against the accused.

“After encroaching the land, the accused raised slogans against the village panchayat and instigated others in the village in a bid to vitiate the environment,” said Kulwant Singh, sarpanch, Jhakharwala. “They are demanding plots but all of them already have their own houses. Only a landless family is eligible to get the five-marla plot. While 21 families had taken forcible possession of the prime land situated on the Bajakhana road, only three of these families are eligible for the benefit,” said Kulwant Singh.
— TNS